Feds on hook for $15M in lost and stolen weapons, computers, phones and vehicles

OTTAWA — Hundreds of computers, smart phones, weapons and office equipment went missing or were stolen from government departments during the last fiscal year, according to spending figures released Tuesday that peg the losses at nearly $455 million.

While the government expects to recover the bulk of it over time, it’s unlikely to recover more than $15 million due to theft, fraud, accident and stupidity.

According to the figures, more than 200 government cellphones and BlackBerrys were lost or stolen last year at a cost of nearly $69,000. So too were some 455 computers, laptops and tablets worth nearly $400,000. The RCMP alone cited 130 cases of lost computer equipment while Industry Canada reported 105 lost desktops and laptops.

Two external hard drives and seven USB drives have also gone missing from government departments, including two encrypted USB keys from the Auditor General’s office. It raises questions about what government information was on all these computers, phones and hard drives and who now has that data.

“You would think that if they were encrypted in the first place then they had highly sensitive material in them and therefore more caution should have been had with regards to handling them,” he said.

“From a taxpayers perspective, we’re talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars and it’s completely unacceptable to lose that amount of equipment.”

Meanwhile, the Department of National Defence reported some 56 stolen weapons and accessories worth more than $42,000, raising questions about public safety. Another 2,673 military “weapons and accessories” worth nearly $113,000 were reportedly lost or damaged.

In all, some $888,000 worth of equipment was stolen from the department last year while another $3.3 million was lost or damaged.

“This government not only has a problem acquiring military equipment, it has a problem with keeping track of the military equipment that they have and making sure that it’s secure,” Ravignat said.

“I think that the department has to reassure Canadians that we haven’t lost sensitive, high security information which could jeopardize national security or jeopardize our allies and we need that reassurance from this government.”

Nobody from the Treasury Board, which is responsible for government spending, responded to a request for comment.

According to the figures, more than 1,300 government vehicles, including several ATVs and a boat were also stolen, vandalized or otherwise damaged to the tune of $2.8 million. Among the losses — a Parks Canada “special vehicle” worth $97,000, 688 RCMP vehicles, 159 Canada Food Inspection Agency vehicles and 122 Fisheries and Oceans vehicles.

Traffic accidents, the bulk of them involving Correctional Service of Canada vehicles, also cost the government more than $209,000.

CSC is also on the hook for more than $72,000 worth of damages caused by 357 so-called “inmate disturbances” and a dozen “intentional” fires. There were another 43 incidents of theft of CSC property and equipment due to arson, costing the department more than $34,000.

Other losses worth noting:

• $3,794 in lost alcohol products by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

• 29 lost or stolen projectors worth more than $26,000 from various departments

I cover justice, immigration and public safety issues as part of the Postmedia News politics team. I also keep tabs on what the official Opposition — the NDP — is up to in the House of Commons.
Before... read more coming here I spent several years in Montreal and Toronto with The Canadian Press covering provincial politics and major crime and court stories. I also helped cover the war in Afghanistan from inside and outside the wire.
I previously worked for the Ottawa Sun chasing crime stories and following convicts through the court system.
I love the unpredictability of my job and believe the opportunity to help document history as it unfolds is an awesome privilege that never ceases to give me chills.
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